Cutting across party lines, the MlAs said in Vidhan Sabha that they were getting threatening calls or ransom letters and demanded that the state government look into this issue as it concerned the security of lawmakers.
The issue was raised by Ashok Singh Chandel of Bharatiya Janata Party during zero hour. He said though there was threat to his life, he was not getting adequate security despite raising the issue with the authorities.
“The government has provided security to me as per norms. But the threat to my life is huge. Sharp shooters, who had taken ‘supari’ (contract) to kill me, have been arrested in Varanasi. The Special Task Force of UP has made some arrests in Hamirpur also,” Chandel said.
“I had met officials regarding my security issues. The additional security I am being offered involves huge expense,” he added.
Chandel is BJP MlA from Hamirpur Sadar.
He referred to the arrest of four sharp shooters by the STF in Varanasi on August 29 and the recovery of a prohibited bore weapon and a double-barrel gun during raids in Hamirpur.
The BJP lawmaker got support from leader of opposition Ram Govind Chowdhury who said it was a serious matter as many lawmakers had received threatening calls and some of them had even received ransom calls about which the police were informed. Chowdhury said in some cases, the police had even failed to arrest the persons behind these calls.
Uma Shankar of Bahujan Samaj Party also claimed that he too had got such a call.
Terming the matter serious, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna assured the member that necessary directives would be issued in this regard.
Speaker Hriday Narayan Dixit directed the government to take note of the threats to the MlAs and ensure adequate security to them.